


Center Ice

by ArinTheMan



Category: Men's Hockey RPF, Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Hockey, Checking Practice, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Everyone Is Gay, F/M, Fluff, Gay, M/M, Mental Health Issues, References to Depression, Romantic Fluff, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Trans Gavin Free, Trans Male Character, Trust Issues, mentions of relationship abuse, might write some smut if y'all want it, not really - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:02:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21789487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArinTheMan/pseuds/ArinTheMan
Summary: The Achievement Hunter gang hits the ice in this universe. Facing opponents such as Fun Haus under the coaching skills of Burnie Burns, the team skates into the finals for the Stanley Cup, or for them, The Tower of Pimps. On the ice and off, they are more than just teammates, but friends and partners.
Relationships: Gavin Free/Michael Jones, Jack Pattillo/Geoff Ramsey, Trevor Collins/Barbara Dunkelman
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	1. PSA

**Author's Note:**

> Title is subject to change.  
> Short chapters at first! As I develop the story, expect them to lengthen. 
> 
> This is a fictional work.

Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!


	2. New Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!

_They stood there, just feet away from the ice, waiting for the signal._

_The stadium was filled with the noise of fans cheering, music playing, and announcers energizing the crowd as lights flashed over the sparkling clean sheet of ice._

_This was it. Game 7. The one that would decide who was the best at hockey and who would go home in shame._

_Gavin looked behind him to Michael, his wingman and boyfriend. Michael met his eyes and tapped Gavin's calves with his hockey stick and nodded. This season meant a lot to both of them. It would seem pointless if they lost it all now._

_Jack, their goalie headed the line followed closely by Geoff, the best captain they could ask for. Together, these two men lead the team through some of the toughest battles. Behind them were the lads and Ryan. They were the front line. They started this and they were going to end it._

_The team was motioned forwards onto the ice as the starting line was called. Their blades hit the ice. This was their turf now and it was up to them to prove they were the best._

_It was time to play._

\---

The rink was quiet except for the sounds of skates scraping and sticks hitting the puck. The team's main right-wing, Gavin, was headed towards the net alongside Michael who had ownership of the rubber disc. He looked over to Gav and made a quick pass to him.

"Gav! Watch out!"

The Brit looked up to see what Michael was warning him about but was slow to respond as a broad-shouldered opponent smashed him into the boards. He let out a shriek and the puck was taken away from him as he shrunk down to the ice.

The sound of a whistle called the play to a stop as Burnie skated into center ice pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Come on guys, you play better than this. Free, you need to man up now or we'll never make it off to the playoffs at this rate. Back to your positions and run the scrimmage again and we'll call it a night."

Burnie tweeted his whistle, giving the players the signal to start over. Gavin sighed as he skated back and felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Jeremy, number 64 center-man, who gave him a soft smile before skating away. At least he understood what it was like facing larger players who can be twice your size in either height or weight. Gav shook his head in an attempt to clear it to focus on the ice.

They ran the play like normal, with Jeremy gaining control of the puck and passing it over to Michael who would then hand it over to Gavin who would take the shot. There was no energy or excitement in this shot. They were all tired and ready to head back into the locker room. Burnie sighed into his clipboard as he waved them off the ice with Jack staying behind to collect any stray pucks left out on the rink.

"He's a good kid you know."

Burnie looked over to Jack, who was leaning on his stick next to him. He exhaled forcefully through his nose. "I know that I just wish he would stop being afraid of getting hit. He's been on this team for a while and I thought he would have some tolerance by now or the strength to at least push them off."

Jack removed his mask and shook his head. "Yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. He has been our best right-wing, especially since he's no longer a defenseman. He was so used to being Geoff's back-up out on the ice that it's just natural for him to have some fear of checking. You just need to give him some time to feel the position."

"Time's what we don't have much of, Jack. He needs to connect with someone so he can be like you and Ramsey."

"Geoff and I were partners before we joined this team. That's what made us good. If you got one of us, the other wasn't too far behind. Maybe start pairing him up with someone and see who he plays better with."

"How about Jones?"

"Michael? I don't see why not. They already have some chemistry going for them. Try it out. I'll see you next week coach. Have a good night."

Burnie watched Jack skate away towards the locker room. He still couldn't make sense of Gavin's fear, but he might as well give pairing him up with someone a shot. They still had a month before preseason started, which might give him some time to improve. He'll talk with Michael when he leaves the locker room.

\---

Geoff was waiting with a towel around his waist when Jack entered the locker room.

"What did you talk with Burnie about?" Geoff asked as he smacked Jack's ass, making him jump slightly.

Jack sighed. "Gavin. You know he's worried and we both know he shouldn't. He's strong enough to get over this fear by the time the season starts."

Geoff rolled his eyes. "Get changed and we'll talk later. Also good job in the crease tonight. They couldn't get one shot in."

He received a quick peck on the cheek from Jack. "Thanks. But you did do most of the job by keeping the puck clear of the net."

The bearded men chuckled as the locker room slowly emptied as the players left for the night. Almost 9 months till the playoffs and the team was almost ready, but Burnie was still unsure. He knew the whole team inside and out and as much of their personal lives off the ice that they were willing to tell him. He would do anything for these boys, even if it meant pulling strings to keep players from leaving the ragtag team. But if it was worth it, he had no idea.


	3. Chirps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!

_Jeremy stood at center ice, staring into the eyes of his opponent. Whether or not he got the puck first could decide the results of the first period. He just had to convince the man opposite of him to underestimate him, to fear him. Yes, he was small in stature, but many knew that wasn't enough to fool anyone on the opposing team. If anyone paid attention to the articles in the news, they knew number 64 was an unstoppable man on the ice._

_He shifted the stick that was in his hands and looked over to Michael. All he had to do was get the puck to him and they should be able to run it all the way down to the net for an early shot. It was a play they would use in Grif Ball, but this was hockey. This was the first time the team was going to put it on ice. They had to outsmart their opponent to win, so something new with a touch of Achievement Hunter flare should at least surprise them._

_Jeremy's eyes shifted back to the menace hunched in front of him. He cracked a smile as the referee released the puck._

_"I am monster truck."_

\---

As he pulled his shirt on, Jeremy looked over to Gavin, who was clearly still upset with himself. He gave him a soft tap on the shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. Coach always gets a little stressed as the season approaches."

"I know that, but I just wish I could get over it. I don't know why I do it though." Gav sighed. "How do you do it? You act so much bigger out there. It's quite scary, to be honest."

Jeremy shook his head. "I wish I could tell ya. I think it's that I always knew I had to work harder out on the ice to prove myself and just coming onto this team and the community behind it just made me feel stronger." He shrugged. "Maybe find someone you connect with on the team and have them help you outside of practice. I'm newer to this team and it clearly helped me be a better player." A soft hum issued from Gavin, who was somewhat lost in thought. "Do you need a ride back tonight? We can talk more in the car."

"Wot? No, thanks. Dan's in from London. He's prolly out in the lot waiting for me. I better hurry so he doesn't scold me for taking so long," he said as he shifted his gym bag onto his shoulder. "I'll see you at next practice Lil J. Have a good one." Gavin gave him a small wave as he left the locker room. 

"See ya, Gavin," Jeremy sighed. He felt a shirtless Ryan lean onto his shoulder.

"Trying to give one of your motivational speeches now, huh?" Ryan said causing Jeremy to roll his eyes. "I know how you feel, wanting to make someone better to feel like a hero."

"Come on Ryan, you know that's not it. I'm just worried that Burnie might kick Gavin off the team if nothing changes."

"You know that would never happen, especially with Geoff as captain. He's really the one who put this whole team together. Plus I think I overheard him and Jack discussing some help for Gav outside of practice."

Jeremy scratched his beard in thought. "I guess you have a point, plus that's good to hear, even though I'm not sure how they would do that. He hasn't really been the same since Ray left."

Ryan slowly nodded. "Nothing we can really do about that now. Anyways, what are your plans for this weekend?"

"Laundry, then maybe play some games. The usual."

This got a chuckle from the taller man. "You need more excitement in your life man! Perhaps I could help?" He began to smile deviously.

"Oh don't you dare Ryan!" Jeremy barked as Ryan shook his head wildly like a dog, showering Jeremy in droplets of water from his freshly washed hair. In response, Jeremy threw his hands up, trying to protect himself from the spray while laughing. "You mad man!"

They looked at each other, still laughing and faces pink. Ryan softly punched Jeremy in the shoulder. "Have a good one man. Don't get too lonely this weekend, but if you do, feel free to text me."

"Uh, yeah sure. I will." Jeremy shyly rubbed the back of his neck, a faint blush still on his face as Ryan headed to where his gear was set to put on a shirt.

\---

Burnie stood outside the locker room patiently, waiting for Michael to emerge. He would be lying if he was worried about his plan to work. No, he was worried if Michael would actually agree to it. He tended to get a bit physical and loud if something didn't particularly go his way. Not to say he was like that all the time. The boy definitely had a soft spot and Burnie was hoping he could use that to help Gavin out of this rough patch. 

He heard the door slam shut and someone muttering about idiots and weak links. Definitely Michael. He cleared his throat, hoping to catch his attention. This was unsuccessful, so Burnie called after him.

"Jones. May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Oh. Sure coach." Michael turned to him. "Sorry if you overheard anything overly rude."

"Never mind all that. I have a favour to ask of you."

"Yeah? It better not be fixing the zamboni again. Look I'm no mechanic, but-"

Burnie cut him off. "It's Free. I want you to get him used to being checked."

"Oh Gavy boy? Sure. I'd be glad to smash him into the boards."

"Just... don't overdo it. I want you guys to be the best wings out on the ice. And if that means breaking a childish fear, so be it. Just don't break any bones. I can't afford to have someone off the team due to an injury from practice."

"Alright. When do you want me to start?"

"That's on you. I don't care what it takes to get that boy out of bed and have him on the ice as a man. I want a report in two weeks. Take care of it. Have a good night son." Burnie turned and walked out of the hall, leaving Michael by himself.

"Fucking shit! Now I've got to be some sort of babysitter! Dude's been with us for ages! Damn it!!" Michael threw his hands in the air in defeat and groaned. "Whatever. Not like it would be hard anyways."

\---

Gavin opened the door to Dan's rental car. "Hey b. How was practice?"

He sighed as he tossed his bag into the second row. "The usual. Sweaty, got hashed out by coach, but that's nothing new."

"Ah. He's still on about your fear reflex, huh?"

"Unfortunately. He needs to stop wigging out about it. He should know that I'll just get over it eventually."

"What if you don't?"

"Wot?"

"What if you don't get over being scared of checking?"

Gavin fell silent. He truly didn't know how to answer that. What if he never did? Would he have this fear forever and risk being kicked off the team? He couldn't join another team. Not like they would want him anyways. He had to get over it, and fast. Especially if it's putting his career at risk.

The car was filled with silence for several minutes. To Gavin's relief, it was broken by his phone vibrating. Dan quickly glanced over, his friend's face illuminated by the light of his cell.

"Who's messaging you?"

"Michael."

"What does he want?"

"I can't tell. All he sent was 'Meet me on the ice tomorrow night at nine.' That's it."

"I would go if I were you. Maybe he has come to terms with his feelings and wants to ask you out on the ice where you met," Dan smiled cheekily.

"Oh shut up you sod! We both know he would never! Plus I'm still not sure if I really like him yet."

"Please. You've known each other for a couple of years now. How can you still not know? I've seen how you look at him."

This earned Dan a punch in the shoulder from Gavin, who was glaring at him angrily in the passenger seat. Dan could only chuckle.

"What was that for? It's not like you wouldn't look good together. Two forwards working together to win not just as teammates, but partners as well. I can see it now, b. Trust me on this. Meet him up tomorrow night, tell him how you feel, and it will all work out."

"Whatever. You're a filthy schmuck, you know that, right?"

Dan laughed and shook his head. "Sure buddy."

Gavin huffed and rested his chin in his hand to stare out the window into the night. Maybe some good could come out of this in the blue meeting tomorrow night.


	4. A Saturday Morning Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!

_Jack was crouched in front of the net, focused on the men in front of him. He would rather be out there, crushing players into the boards, but he knew his skills are better suited for the crease. While the thought was upsetting, he knew he was the heart of the team. If the puck got away from his teammates, it was up to him to save it._

_Together, Jack and Geoff were the captains of the team and helped hold it together. In some news articles, they were considered the parents of a large rag-tag family, which made sense since the two were a couple. The defenseman and the goalie were always the first people the other boys on the team would go to if something was wrong instead of Burnie. They had this sort of roundabout way of sharing information that never seemed to have a direct path. It went through at least one person before it's intended destination, but this way of communication was gone when they were out on the ice. They've played together for so long that words weren't always needed. Hand signals and an occasional name call was all it took, so Jack's sharp and ever-watching eyes were perfectly suited for the team. They moved as a unit, seeing to simultaneously share a brain while on ice. If the smallest thing went wrong, the entire team had to work around it to get back into form._

_\---_

A soft knock roused Gavin from his thoughts. He was already awake despite it being only seven in the morning, laying spread eagle in the center of his bed. The knock came again, a little louder this time. He knew it was Dan letting him know the kettle was on, but the odd thing about it was that his friend normally slept until nine on weekends. Gavin slowly rolled out of bed with a drawn-out groan as Dan knocked a third time. He grumbled out some form of "coming" as he tugged on a shirt and pants over his boxers in hopes to avoid some early morning awkwardness. The door slowly opened to Dan, who was already dressed for the day and a very tired looking Gavin.

"Wot d'ya want?" slurred Gavin.

"Oh I uh, put the kettle on."

"Ah. Why are you awake? Normally you'd still be sleepin'."

"Just wanted to be awake before you on a Saturday."

"You're lying."

Dan rubbed his hands over his face with a sigh. "Yeah. You've got me. I just wanted to talk a little bit before we do anything today."

"Couldn't you have waited until the time we normally eat breakfast together?"

Dan started to shrug but their conversation was interrupted by the whistle of the kettle. "Just... come to the table."

Gavin issued a groan as his hand dropped from the door frame and begrudgingly followed him into the kitchen. Their mugs were already at the table as he sat himself down while Dan busied himself at the stove. Gav sifted through the tea bags that were in a small metal tin, waiting on his friend.

"So what did you want to talk about at 7:15 on a Saturday morning?" Gavin said as Dan filled their cups with the hot water.

"I wanted to apologize." Dan bit his lip. "For last night."

"Last night? There's nothing there to apologize for. You were teasing me and that's just a thing we do. No need to say sorry for it."

"I still feel bad. I know how much hockey and the team means to you. I would feel the same way if I was in your shoes, not wanting to risk your spot by being shut down and skating awkwardly on a team that is already a little rocky with you being scared."

Gavin was quiet for a moment while he dabbed his tea bag in his cup. "You were up most of the night thinking about this, weren't you?"

"That obvious?"

"We've known each other for about ten years. I read you like a book. And why else would you be up this early? You knew I'm awake around seven and laying in bed thinking about who knows what and whatnot."

This got a quiet chuckle from Dan as he squeezed his tea bag against the edge of his cup to drain the water from it. "Yeah, I see your point. But please take my apology even if it's over something small and trivial."

"Alright," Gavin sighed. "I accept your apology. And go back to bed you dolt, you look exhausted. I can clean up."

Another soft chuckle as Dan smiled. "Thanks. Let me finish my tea first though."

\---

Jack was busy in the kitchen preparing a hearty breakfast. Normally this is something he and Geoff would do together on a Sunday morning, but Jack had something on his mind and needed to put work in his hands to busy himself. A bowl of cereal was typically enough to get him to lunch, but it was the weekend, so some omelets with bacon were in order. He was hoping the smell would be enough to drag his husband out of bed to prevent the need of him going back into the bedroom and risk being drug under the covers by his partner. As much as he hated to admit spending more time in bed was nice, his brain was going faster than he could keep up with. Was he right in suggesting to their coach on pairing Michael up with Gavin in hopes of getting him over his fear? The accident happened nearly a year ago, but not everyone on the team knew about it. He wasn't sure if Michael knew about it, due to the Brit's crush on him. A good majority of the team knew about that, despite Michael seeming to be oblivious to all of the glances shot at him by Gavin. Why couldn't the two boys just match up like how Jack and Geoff did, he couldn't say, but he hoped time would tell.

Two warm tattooed arms slowly found their way around Jack's waist, pulling him out of his thoughts. With a face now buried in his back, Jack whisked two more eggs together for a second omelet.

"Good morning. Want anything specific in your omelet?"

Jack received a grumble and what he assumed to be a no out of Geoff who was slowly slumping farther and farther down and onto his back.

"Come baaack to beeeed." Geoff groaned.

Jack shook his head. "You know I can't, I've already started breakfast."

"You've been worrying about the team again, haven't you?" Geoff sighed as he let go to pour himself a cup of coffee. "This is why you're supposed to tell me what's going on in that head of yours before we get to bed so we can stay in bed together longer."

Jack shook his head. "I can't help it. Last night's practice ended... sadly? There's a good handful of skepticism that has been drifting around the locker room about whether Burnie is going to let Gavin go or not."

This got Geoff wide awake. "Like HELL he's not! I care for that boy just as much as you do, probably more. And if the team has questions, they better come to me first. I'm going to give Burnie a firm talking to as soon as I can if he's thinking of letting the poor kid go. And fuck it, I bet I could coach this team better than he can goddamnit!"

"Then why don't you?"

"Why don't I what?"

"Coach the team. If you think you could better than Burnie, why don't you step up? You are the captain after all" Jack was pointing the spatula at Geoff and was gesturing with it. 

"I... couldn't. I prefer to be out there on the ice with the team instead of sitting on the sidelines yelling at them telling them to do things they're already doing."

"Suit yourself. I don't blame you though, wanting to be in the middle of everything since one of the best ways to have something to go your way is to work for it. Now come eat your omelet while it's still hot."

Geoff sighed as he topped off his mug and walked to the table. "Now I understand why you were up early. The season starts soon, but it's still not unreasonable to kick someone off the team. Do you think it will work though? Giving Gavin a couple of nudges?"

"Well, if it doesn't help him get his confidence back enough to square up and push of larger players, it should give him enough to finally ask Michael out. If that goes well, then Burnie might have to think twice about removing Gavin."

Geoff looked up from his plate. "You never told me that that boy from Jersey is part of this."

"Oh come on, you know Gavin likes him. We're killing two birds with one stone here. Plus, Burnie had no idea who else to throw in that would pressure some change in him by we start playing other teams."

"You could have suggested me for fuck's sake! I wouldn't mind showing him how to man up... again."

"And you haven't done enough of that already? I have yet to fully comprehend why you two are still able to keep this weird father-son bond."

Geoff shook his head. "I worry about him enough like he really his my own kid. I'm still surprised that he's able to skate after..." He quietly trailed off.

Jack put his hand on top of Geoff's. "I know that. I try my best to keep the thought out of my mind. We both need to stay focused on the present and future. Trust me, I know he's going to get over this. We are all going to have an amazing season, I feel it."

"I hope you're right."

The kitchen was filled with silence as the two ate, mulling their conversation over and trying to find something to say. Only a few matters of small talk slipped out as they finished, Jack rising to clear the table as Geoff protested, claiming that Jack shouldn't have to do most of the work in the house. This resulted in Jack putting their dishes in the sink while Geoff watched him while he leaned on the counter sipping the last of the coffee.

"I'm still gonna talk to Burnie anyways."

Jack looked up from the sink. "What?"

"At practice. I'm going to tell him that he better think twice about removing anyone off the team."

"Seriously Geoff? We may be married but I'm not going to let you go to our coach and talk to him like he's a teacher and we're mad at him because of our child's grades."

"Well, what would you do?"

"Leave it alone! There's only so much we can do and I think we've reached that point. We can't always change Burnie's mind and we've seen that."

"But we are a team!"

"Yes, but-"

"A fucking family! If that idiot thinks he can start taking us apart like a kid with its stupid lego set, then he has to go through me!"

"And I feel the same way!" Jack sighed and scratched his beard. "Please, just keep it short. Let him know how you feel about Gavin not being able to play and leave it at that. Don't do anything too rash that would have you not play in our first game."

"Don't remind me about that."

Jack turned back to the sink. "I'm just saying. I know you care about this team so much and I want you to be careful so you don't get yourself booted off."

"I know, I know, but..." Geoff slowly walked over to his husband and draped his arm over his shoulders. "Because you're so concerned for me, I'll keep it simple. If Burnie gets mad over this, that's on him. He should know to think it over at least a couple times if it's going to affect the entire team."

"Thanks," Jack said as he leaned into the other man. "But don't just do it for how we feel. Make sure you're speaking on behalf of the team. You are their captain after all. We all look up to you."

He was quiet. Jack was right, and Geoff felt that if the whole team stood together, Burnie would see reason. If it was just him, then the coach might think he's acting on his own wants. The whole situation made him think, even though his partner was typically the one to do that. Not to say that he never did, he found that sitting in his own brain for a while could take several things out of proportion and Jack would be the one to pull him out of it. It ruined his play, so he preferred to voice everything that was on his mind to his consort before going on the ice. They truly evened each other out, so the thought of separating them was inconceivable.

Geoff gave his other half a pat on the shoulder and a kiss on the temple. "I'm headed back to bed."

"Really? After drinking nearly two cups of coffee?"

"Yep and you can't stop me." He grinned, giving him double finger guns as he walked out of the kitchen.

"Idiot." Jack laughed and shook his head. "Good thing I made decaf this morning."

\---

Alfredo was sitting in a hot tub with a damp towel over his face when Ryan slowly slid into the water across from him.

"Last night's practice got you that sore, huh?"

He let out a long groan and removed the towel, sitting up. "Is coach always this rough on you guys? Despite being on the team for a while, this seems to be a new high."

Ryan shrugged. For him, it was always like this near the beginning of hockey season. Burnie always pushed the entire team near their breaking points when he was stressed about upcoming games. But Alfredo was right. Practice was a little tougher than the usual preseason scrimmages.

"I'm not sure. Anything you think that could have him all riled up and letting out on us?"

"It's definitely Gavin. Dude's been slipping lately. I want to know why, because he might become a serious weak point for us."

 _So he doesn't know... interesting._ Ryan shook his head to clear the thought. "You don't think he's going to get kicked off the team, do you?"

Alfredo was silent for a moment. "He's a good guy and I would hate to see him leave since I know how much he means to you, Lil J, Michael, and our captains. I like him too, I just wonder if we would be better off if he didn't play with us for the season."

He felt a set of eyes boring into him from across the water. Figuring it would be best for him to leave, he pulled himself out of the small pool and toweled off.

"See ya, Ryan. Have a good weekend." Alfredo waved as he walked out.

Ryan groaned as he sunk lower into the hot tub. "Foolish words," he muttered. He shut his eyes and sat there in silence, attempting on letting his mind be clear. A soft tone came from his cell that was sitting on a bench that was several feet away from the pool, causing him to slowly sit back up and glare at the device. It went quiet under his gaze, so he turned back to the water. Silence set upon the large room that was dense with the scent of chlorine. It was only moments before the sound came again, this time provoking Ryan to reluctantly get out and check his phone, water dripping and pooling beneath his feet. A missed call and a text from Jeremy.

"Dude really got lonely then, huh." He chuckled as he tapped out a quick message.

_*At the gym. We can meet up later.*_

_*Alright. Message me next time you're going to work out though. I can't always spot myself. ;)*_

_*_ _Haha okay.*_

Ryan could imagine Jeremy yelling at himself for sending the winky face since he would have done the same. He laughed at himself as he sat back down in the warm water, slouching immediately, with his chin just above the waterline. A sigh spread throughout the room as Ryan slowly faded back into a state of empty meditation. He wasn't expecting much to happen this weekend, but this little something might be a whole bunch better than two whole days of nothing.


	5. When It Rains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!

"Man, I sorta wish I didn't scare Trevor away like that," Ryan muttered, rubbing his hair with a towel before throwing it onto his shoulder. "As much as I appreciated the quiet, it's always nice to have someone to talk to."

He walked into an empty locker room, not a sound to be heard. "That's odd... I wonder where he went. He typically hangs around for a bit before he heads home. And someone is normally in here on a Saturday, so where is everyone?" He shrugged. "Guess I have the place to myself."

Ryan paced around the stalls and lockers, double-checking to make sure that he was alone. He unlocked his locker and pulled out a set of dry clothes from his gym bag. Figuring that the room was empty and probably will be for a while since it was nearly time for lunch, he settled on the idea that he shouldn't bother on changing awkwardly in a stall. Not to say that he was insecure with how he looked, he preferred that he didn't get into some uninvited photos by a fan. It was always a gamble on who you would run into at a public gym, so it was common to go with a teammate to have your back. Ryan pulled off his swim trunks which were quickly replaced with a pair of boxers and sweatpants. Tossing the wet clothes into a small drying machine installed on a nearby wall, he sighed in relief when he heard the door open. Thanking whoever controlled life that he had already changed into regular pants, he removed his trunks from the metal bin and walked back to his stuff. The newcomer was only a few lockers down and Ryan couldn't help but stare.

He seemed so familiar, but Ryan couldn't put a name to the face. Where had he seen him before? He didn't want to get caught looking, but he struggled to avert his eyes. The man started to look over, causing Ryan to quickly look away, face tinted pink.

"Ryan Haywood? Number 81, defenseman for North Havermeyer, right?"

"Uh, yeah that's me..." he said as he slowly looked up. 

He was face to face with someone who can only be described as somewhat soft with not quite enough facial hair to be a beard but more than a slight scruff. Ryan figured his eyes were hazel, but he could never tell when he first met someone. He had already removed his shirt that was damp with sweat, so his reddish hair was a slight muss.

"The name's Chad."

Ryan was pulled out of his thoughts when he was greeted with a hand, which he gave a firm shake. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Glad to be able to talk in person and not just see you out on the ice. But I guess we will run into each other there again soon."

That's where he had seen him. Chad James, number 9 for the Westside Spades.

"L-likewise. What are you doing here?"

He received a hefty pat on the back as the other player laughed, causing him to blush.

"Just taking some vacation time! Coach is letting all of us rest easy in anticipation for the beginning of the season so we have the energy to start strong."

"Interesting." Ryan hurriedly pulled on his t-shirt, wanting to leave avoid future embarrassment. "I best be leaving. I should get some food in me before I get mad, and I don't think you want to see that side of me."

Another laugh as Ryan slung his bag over his shoulder. "I like you. You're a funny guy. Don't go easy on me though next time we meet." Chad winked at him.

"Yeah... sure," he muttered as he walked out. As soon as the door closed behind him, his face was in his hands. "Fucking idiot."

  
\---

  
Jeremy's head dropped to the table with a long groan. "Why the FUCK did I do that?"

A laugh came from his laptop, which he responded to by giving it the bird.

"You did it because I convinced you to. And you would have never done it otherwise."

He looked up to the screen, where he was video chatting with Trevor, his go-to man when he found himself stuck in a situation. This case, however, involved Lil' J's feelings for someone else, so helping him sort this out was Trev's specialty.

"I'm telling you, dude, test the waters, get close to him and see how he feels. It's that simple."

"But it's not that simple, Trev! I'm not even entirely sure I like him, or even men for that matter! I've felt this way for girls, but never a guy before. How do I even know what I feel is real and not some pressure from society that's wanting me to stop being single during my hockey career? I don't even know if he likes guys..."

"Slow down! You're starting to sound like Jack, but with less organized thoughts. You've known him for a couple of years, hung out several times before as friends, and joke with each other in the locker room! Both of you are pretty close already, so saying how you feel and shouldn't hurt. And you should know that there isn't pressure on you to get into a relationship. Several men on the team are still single as far as I know."

He sighed. "But that's the thing. I'm worried that I would make our friendship awkward if I said something."

Trevor rubbed the back of his neck. "I understand, but you can't go on like this forever. It's only a matter of time before he gets into a relationship with someone and then your chance is gone."

The two sat in silence, Jeremy weighing his situation. He needed to make his move, but there was the chance of throwing what he had with his teammate into jeopardy.

"You need a cat."

"What?"

"You're so alone in that apartment of yours. Get a pet, like a cat."

"We both know it's hard to keep pets by yourself during the season, with traveling and all that. I've already considered it."

"Gav does it, with Smee and Columbo. If he can do it, you should be able to."

"Gavin has Dan. And even when he isn't in America, he has someone else keep tabs on them."

"I bet you could talk him into looking after yours. I mean, it is your decision."

"I'll think about it. Talk to you later Trevor. See you at practice."

"Alright, message me if you need anything else."

The room went quiet as both ended the call and Jeremy closed his laptop. He leaned back in his chair, pulling his phone out. Maybe something good could come out of hanging out with Ryan tonight and give him a better idea of how he felt.

_Why the fuck did I send the winky face???_

\---

Burnie was leaning back in his desk chair, his feet up and laptop open on the desk surface. He was tapping a pen on his bottom lip, studying plays of previous years hockey games that flickered on the screen. Papers were scattered about, some forms, some covered in scribbled notes, and others were indistinguishable amongst the clutter. Some would say that his office space was an extension of his mind, allowing Burnie to keep his thoughts more organized for the upcoming season. He has coached this team for countless years with the change of players almost nonexistent. The starting lineup was almost the same for every year, but some kinks and loose ends were starting to appear, causing him to question whether it was worth it or not to use the same team for so long. They nearly had the cup in their grasp last season, but a small slip up during game 7 killed their shot. It wasn't too late to switch men back into the AHL, but the ties amongst the athletes might be too strong to let that idea run over smoothly. And applying how the team plays with each other would most likely have hiccups that could slow down progress on winning the playoffs. The whole group was too tightly knit for changes in star players to happen. A sharp ring from the phone yanked him out of his nest of thoughts as he scrambled to pick up the receiver.

"Burnie Burns here, what can I do for you?"

"Hey, Burnie it's Gus. How's that team coming along for you?"

"Oh you know, the same as last year and the year before. Utilize the best men on the ice with almost the same strategy. Fight for the puck and get it in the net while holding our line of defense."

"You do know you can only do that for so long before the other teams start using that against you right? It may have worked for the past two years, but it's a heavy gamble of it being successful this season. Even then you always use the same players. You need to start trading out and getting newer and younger guys out on the ice. Maybe even look into retiring Ramsey and possibly Pattillo, who wouldn't be too far behind him. It's not common for the NHL to keep players this long, much less playing for the same team. More modern teams focus on younger and faster players."

Burnie sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "Please tell me you didn't just call me to ridicule my coaching or my team."

A laugh came over the line. "I think I did enough of that when we still coached together. It's not too late to take me back you know."

"I do have an assistant coach, so don't think I'll be on my knees begging for you when the season starts. And you have a team of your own to be in control of now, so I don't know why you would even look into offering to lead the Achievement Hunters with me."

"Oh? And who is this new assistant coach you speak of? You still manage to catch me off guard as head of North Havermeyer and have lead by yourself for a while."

"They... well..."

"Don't tell me you don't have an assistant this year... _again._ "

"I'm looking for one. It's a process."

"Sure. Let me know how that plays out. I'll be excited if your team can put something new on the ice for once."

The call went dead as Gus hung up, leaving Burnie steaming in a puddle of emotions. What was said was true, as much as he hated to admit it. The style of play has hardly changed, despite the likelihood of it being effective slowly declining, and they haven't had an assistant coach in at least three seasons. With Geoff as the captain for multiple seasons, he often would temporarily fill the space when times got rough for everyone. A sigh reverberated throughout the small room as small droplets of rain tapped on the window. Blue eyes looked out, his glasses reflecting the grey sky above. Maybe he should give him a call and see how he stands on the subject.

\---

Gavin and Dan were sat on a couch in the small house's living room, Dan playing the new version of Fallout on the television while Gav retaped his sticks. It was quiet except for the in-game sound effects and the patter of a late summer storm on the roof. A groan issued from Gavin as he tugged the white tape off a stick for the third time. His friend looked over and shook his head slowly.

"That stressed?"

"No," Gavin muttered, furrowing his brow. "Michael and I have been friends for some time now, so it's not like I'm going to meet him for the first time. And that's not what I'm upset about. I just keep getting lost watching you play and not pay attention to what I'm supposed to be doing." He to the three other sticks lying on the floor."

Dan turned back to the game to pause it and set the controller down. "I wasn't talking about that exactly, but it can apply to my question too. There's still at least a month before preseason. You have all the time in the world to muss about with your gear until then. But it's good you brought Michael up. It's nearly nine." 

"I know. I've been keeping my eye on the time. Might as well get ready to leave." He grumbled as he stood up, stretching and walked towards his room. "Why did he plan to meet up so bloody late. Damn."

Watching him leave, he sighed sadly, the realization that Gavin wasn't going to tell him what was going on any time soon settled on him. Did something happen between him and Michael that made him not excited to meet up with one of his close friends? Was it possible that his crush was literally crushing him and slowly pushing them apart? Dan couldn't tell, but he wanted to know if there was a way that he could help, but if only he could get his friend to talk to him about this matter.

Gavin rummaged through his drawers, still thinking about the reason why he had to meet up with Michael. Sure they were good friends, but right now, it didn't feel like it. He even tried texting to figure out what was going on but to no avail. Tugging off his shirt, he looked at himself in the body length mirror that hung from his door and ran his hands over his small number of scars, tracing one in particular. This one running along one of his ribs, from his left side to under his pec. It made no sense on how not all of his teammates knew the truth about them, but maybe it was time to say something tonight. It hurt to know that his boi had no idea and that he believed the lie that was told to many others. Shaking his head and sighing, the Brit finally put on a long-sleeved shirt and replaced his sweatpants with long black thermal pants and a pair of shorts. He grabbed his extra pair of skates from the foot of his bed and exited the room.

Thunder rumbled in the distance as Dan looked over at Gav and snickered.

"Not going out in that, are you?"

"Wot? Wot's wrong with it?"

"You look a bit like a dweeb."

This got a soft punch in the shoulder served to a giggling Dan.

"You're not bringing your gear?"

"Don't think I'll be needing it," he said as he put on a rain jacket. "And Michael would have told me to bring it anyways."

"Alright," He stood and grabbed his keys from a hook next to the door. "Let's go then."

Both left the house with Gavin telling his cats goodbye, flicking the lights off, and sliding into the passenger seat of Dan's car. The ride was mostly quiet save for a few small conversations and a bit of banter between the two and the squeak of windshield wipers until they arrived at the small rink that was peaceful enough for undisturbed practices and small meet-ups. They both would come here when Gav could convince his friend to get into a pair of skates to shoot an occasional video.

Gav gave a small wave to the other Brit as he stepped out onto a mostly vacant parking lot and into the light rain. "See you later, yeah?"

"Yeah. I'll be down at the pub. Message me when you're done or you've gotten another lift."

"You're going pubbing without me? Harsh."

"Sorry b. I'll let you know ahead of time next time I plan on heading out, alright?"

He shook his head. "It's fine. You have fun and be safe. I don't want to drive your arse home. Try and remain a little sober for me."

"You be quiet and get in there." Dan gestured to the doors. "Don't leave the man waiting. And getting water into this rental."

"Yeah yeah. I'm going." He shut the door and walked across the lot, listening to his friend drive out into his street and the patter on the pavement and rolls of faraway thunder. He hoped he got out in time before the storm really hit. Once he stepped inside shaking the water from his hair, someone loudly cleared their throat, startling Gavin.

"You're late."

It was Michael, who was standing near a set of lockers, a small smirk on his face and already in his skates.

"Wh- no, I'm not. And it's raining. You know Dan's a baby when the roads get wet."

A chuckle. This was definitely a good sign that he was in a more positive mood. "Come on. Get those knives on your feet and meet me out on the ice. I have the first rink reserved just for us, but this place isn't open all night, so hurry up."

"But Micoo!" He whined, already sitting on a bench and unlacing his shoes. "You haven't told me what we're doing! What if I need to stretch out first?"

"I don't think you'll need to. We're just doing a bit of pre-season prep. Nothing big." A smile came across his face. "For me anyways."

A groan from Gavin as he rapidly tied up his skates after removing the blade protectors and tossing them and his shoes and jacket into a small locker, anxiety twitching inside him as he followed Michael out onto the ice. The surface was still roughed up from previous users, allowing his edges to get a better grip to move towards a face-off circle that his friend stood in. The two lads coasted around, catching up on each other's lives outside of hockey, something they rarely did while on ice. Gav was in a bout of laughter from Michael poking fun at some of their teammates when he got a nudge on his shoulder.

"Hey, Gav? Can you stand against the boards for me and brace yourself, okay?"

"Uhm." He slowly skated near the plexiglass, anxiety bubbling inside him. "Sure."

In a flash, Michael was on him, pressing him into the wall of the rink with Gavin yelling at him to stop.

"Come on! Square up! Push me off and skate through, it's not that fucking hard!"

"Get. OFF!" He screamed, struggling to shakily shove him away.

Michael slowly backed off, letting him slide down onto the ice sniffling quietly.

"Wot the bloody hell was that for?" Gavin screeched.

"Christ dude... are you-? I even came at you softly! And I'm not even fully geared up!"

"And I'm not either," he muttered as he slowly stood up, wiping his face with a sleeve. "I'm done, Michael. I'm leaving."

Michael watched him skate off the ice, Gavin refusing to look at him. He waited a moment out on the ice before following him into the small lobby-like area. He was already seated on a bench, rapidly untying skates and yanking on his tennis shoes and rain jacket. As he pulled up the hood and headed towards the doors, Michael called out. "Gavin! Wait!" He turned slightly, letting him know that he was heard, his face partially hidden by the hood. Michael hesitated, unsure of how to proceed, so Gavin walked out into the pouring rain, leaving him standing alone. He quickly opened his locker, jerking off his skates and tying his shoes before running out into the storm after him.

"Gav! Please!"

"What do you want!?" he yelled, angrily turning around as lightning flashed overhead.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Don't sorry me, you git! I liked you, Michael until you dragged me out here and slammed me into the boards! Something you knew that I wasn't going to be alright with! You should have told me what you were gonna do before I even came! I really did like you, probably more than you would ever know. I loved you, even. But I guess love is something I'm never allowed to feel because it always ends up with me getting hurt! It's why I'm scared of being checked in hockey now! Sorry, my ass. Sorry never did me good."

Michael's eyes widened, flinching slightly when thunder cracked overhead. It was unlike him to lash out this angrily outside of games. Gavin started walking across the parking lot and was pulled back by Michael's hand on his shoulder.

"Gavin, please. I am sincerely sorry and I didn't know. You are my boi and you know I would do anything for you, but this isn't like you." He pleaded, water dripping from his hair into his eyes. "And Dan isn't here, you need a ride. Come on, my car is over this way. We can talk as I take you home."

He pushed the hand off him and turned away. "I'll just walk. And don't stop me, I don't want anything to do with you right now."

His hands dropped to his sides and slowly walked towards his car, getting inside and setting his skates into the passenger seat. Michael slid down in the seat, looking up at the roof of the vehicle. He couldn't tell if he was crying or if it was the rain running down his face.

"Stay strong, Michael. You're from Jersey. You don't cry over stupid shit."

He sighed, sitting up and wiping his face with his damp shirt and started his car. There was a lot that was on his mind and wanted to get home as soon as he could to take a long shower in an attempt to wash it all away. Glancing at Gavin in his rearview mirror made his heart drop even more. He really wished they talked more before tonight and blamed himself for everything that went wrong tonight and fought himself on turning around to try and convince the Brit to let him take him home, even though that might tear their friendship apart even more if it still existed. Sitting at the stoplight, he watched the rain trail down the windshield that was quickly swiped away by the wipers and quietly pleaded that Gavin would get home safely. He pondered on messaging him to see when he did, but the odds of a reply was absolute zero. He didn't deserve to walk out in this mess for what Michael did. A honk from a truck behind him forcefully threw him out of his muddled mind to realize the light had turned green. Giving the person behind him the bird, he headed home.

\---


	6. Last Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I am currently working on changing some aspects of this work and it is going to be a good amount of time before the next true update it seems, so apologies!! Certain things have happened and I wish to make this a more... clean work that doesn't deal with certain trash. In the meantime, I do have a tumblr, ko-fi, and a patreon (the latter two still need some work) where you can see other things that I am up to, like my art! All of them are ArinTheMan. I also have an insta, Canadianmapletaffy. Thanks for your patience!

Michael didn't have the energy to slam the door when he arrived home, despite how upset he was with himself. Tossing his keys onto the kitchen counter and running his hands through his curly hair that had mostly dried on the drive home, he uttered a groan that eventually turned into a sigh. The urge to punch something or scream was strong, but he was too emotionally confused to let any of that happen. Feeling drained, he found his way into the bathroom, slowly stripping off his clothes and leaving them in a pile on the tile. His hands gripped the edge of the sink as he stared himself down, the sound of the shower reverberating throughout the small room. 

"What the fuck have you done to yourself, Michael?"

On the verge of tears, Michael stepped into the shower, letting the hot water run down to wash away the sweat and allowed himself to cry. It was quiet at first, but eventually, he became a sobbing mess leaning against the wall of the shower. Tonight had him crack and break open, letting every emotion that has built up inside over the past few months spill out. It hurt, almost as if he had taken a puck to the heart. The odds of Gavin still his best friend or being lost forever was unfathomable. Losing him again would hurt so much more than when the Brit was in a severe car accident that left him out of commission for nearly two months and not talking to most of the team for another month afterward. Even then, Michael was shut out for most of it, which hurt to think about, like a thorn in the foot.

Several minutes had passed when he had finally decided to straighten up and wash himself. The tears had mostly stopped, leaving his eyes a bit puffy and red. He rubbed his face with a wet cloth, hoping to rid any trace that he was bawling moments ago. Facing the showerhead, Michael turned one of the knobs until icy cold water hit him, making him gasp and shiver momentarily. It was enough to get him to fully snap out of his head and rinse the shampoo from his hair before turning the water off. 

Small droplets hit the cold floor as he grabbed for a towel to dry himself. Another look into the mirror that had just begun to clear from steam to check if any sign that he had been crying remained. Satisfied, he hung the towel up and left the bathroom. It didn't bother him much that he was walking around the household naked since he lived alone but pulled on a pair of boxers before sliding under his bedsheets. A soft chime came from his phone that was sitting on a bedside table, causing Michael to reach for it, the light illuminating his face and a small area of the room slightly.

A text from Jack read: "How did tonight go? Both of you are still able to skate, right?"

He sighed and locked his phone before setting it back on the table, leaving Jack on read. Pulling the covers tightly around himself, closing his eyes and attempted to fall asleep, despite his mind wanting to wander. Could it be that the accident that happened so many months ago be why Gavin is scared? It's possible, but why had he never thought of it before? Surely he would have said something about it, but it also doesn't explain why he lashed out at Michael. As much as he liked Gavin, a bit more that he would like to admit, he would still call the guy a bit of a dork and definitely not the smartest person he knew. It was a pain that the dumbass wouldn't always tell Michael what was going on in his life, despite how close they were. Well, probably not close enough anymore that Gavin would still be willing to open up to him.

Eventually, Michael tried to focus on the rain that was still falling onto the roof and tapping on the windows, slowly allowing the sound to fill his head. Rolling over and squeezing his eyes shut, his body gave in to sleep.

  
\---

  
A soft knock at the door roused Jeremy from his Xbox, causing him to pause the game and look down the small hallway to the door. The knock came again, so he got up and looked out the small peephole. Ryan stood there, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable, so Jeremy quickly unlocked and opened the door, giving him a bit of a quizzical look.

"Ryan? I didn't expect you to come over today and you didn't text me that you were headed my way, so there's a bit of a mess…" he trailed off as Ryan raised a hand to stop him from rambling any further.

"Jer. I had nothing better to do so I decided to stop by. I am allowed to come in though, right? Your neighbor seemed to almost have a heart attack when she saw me standing outside your door."

"Oh, of course." He stood aside and allowed his teammate into the apartment, closing the door behind him.

"You wouldn't by any chance have a spare towel lying around?"

"A towel? Why would y-" It took him a moment to realize that Ryan looked like a drowned rat, his hair dripping wet. "Yeah, I can get you one."

Goddamnit Jeremy, you're hopeless when you're around him, he angrily thought to himself as he walked down the hall to a bathroom, grabbing a dry and clean towel from under the sink.

Ryan stood in the center of the living room, unsure of what to do. He did a quick scan of the apartment, taking note of everything there. A small kitchen accompanied by a dining table that sat no more than four people, a decent enough sized living room for an apartment with a standard sofa, two chairs, and a television with an Xbox, and then there was the hall that Jeremy went down that led to the bathroom and a bedroom Ryan assumed. No actual mess that was mentioned though, just a few dirty mugs in the sink and some cans on a coffee table. A fluffy grey towel hit him in the face, making him scramble to grab it before it hit the floor, making Jeremy laugh. Mildly flustered, he muttered out "Wow, thanks." before shaking his head and grinning.

"I'm surprised you've never had me over before. Nice place you've got here."

"Ah yeah, I thought about having some of the team over at one point, but I didn't want to get a noise complaint since I moved in here just a couple of years ago. It's nice enough and I make do. Gets quiet sometimes though."

Ryan slowly nodded as he rubbed the cloth over his hair, squeezing the moisture he could out. "So are you going to invite me to take a seat or what? Just want to stand here uncomfortably?"

Jeremy felt his ears burn with embarrassment and gave Ryan a shove. "Go sit on the fucking couch you ass." He turned and walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge. "Beer?"

Chuckling, Ryan headed to the soft black couch, sinking into the cushions. "No, thanks. If you've got Diet Coke, I'll take that," he called back.

"Predictable, why did I even bother asking?" Jeremy muttered. Shutting the fridge with his foot and walked into the living room, flopping down next to Ryan and handing him the can of pop. He had started up a new game on the console with the damp towel draped over his shoulders. The silence between the two made him itch for a conversation about anything, but nothing came to mind.

"You never struck me as the kind of guy who would have Diet Coke in their refrigerator."

"What?" He wanted to sigh with relief at the break but hid it with taking a swig of beer.

"Don't tell me you put it in your fridge just for me. I would have been just fine with a glass of water."

Jeremy hesitated. Not long after he ended his call with Trevor, he took a quick trip to the grocery store and bought a box of the name brand drink. "And what if I did?"

Ryan threw his head back laughing. "You did! Oh my…" He set the controller down, struggling to catch his breath. "You're too nice man! You've been on this team for at least three years now, so I don't think you should feel the need to be a bit of a kiss ass."

Rolling his eyes and half-heartedly laughing along, Jeremy refused to acknowledge the clusterfuck of emotions in his chest. He gave the Georgian man a soft punch to the shoulder. "Shut up dude. I wasn't even expecting you to show up this late anyway." 

"It's only 9:30 on a Saturday! You sound like an old man talking like that," Ryan said, picking up the controller and shaking his head with a chuckle. 

"Yeah, okay then. Whatever you say."

Silence settled again upon the two, only broken by small bouts of laughter at each other's fuck-ups when they traded off the controller.

"Ryan…" It was Jeremy's turn to break the silence, despite the butterflies in his stomach for what he was about to do. He was already two beers in, but his nerves were still on the fritz as if the alcohol was never consumed. Nibbling on his lower lip, he hoped that his face was flushed because he had been drinking and not because of the thought of being embarrassed from rejection.

Ryan glanced at him and turned his body slightly towards Jeremy, but his mind was still majorly focused on the screen. "Hm?"

"N-nevermind." He looked down at his lap and pretended to be distracted by something on his phone.

Pausing the game and looking towards him, Ryan gave the younger man his attention. "Don't 'nevermind' me, Jeremy. What were you going to say?"

"It uh… really was nothing."

"You're lying."

Jeremy closed his eyes and sighed. "Fuck man. You're a really great guy and I… really li- appreciate you." He felt the urge to kick himself for being at the idiotic string of words that came out of his mouth. Well, no going back now. 

It was Ryan's turn to sigh. He knew that wasn't really what was meant to be said, and it made his heart melt slightly. Despite wanting to know the full truth, his better judgment got the best of him and forced him to not push Jeremy. He did feel his heart jump in excitement though for what he might have said. He would often catch himself being distracted by the other on the ice during practice.

"I appreciate you too, Lil J." He reached over and ruffled his hair, fighting the urge to pull him into a side hug, and losing. "Come here, you dork."

Jeremy felt his ears and neck burn, and jumped when he felt a warm arm come around his shoulders, pulling him into a slight embrace. He was tense at first, but eventually tried to relax and calm his heart rate, which was going about a mile a minute with the current events.

They sat like that for the rest of the night, with Ryan completing the game despite the soft protests from Jeremy, who internally wasn't complaining. He could always restart it later when he wasn't nearly falling asleep on Ryan. After countless attempts on stifling a yawn, he finally let one escape. 

"So I'm guessing that you're going to kick me out now, huh?" Ryan chuckled.

"What?" He looked up when he felt the soft rumbles of the quiet laughter.

"It's late Jeremy. I've finished your game and you’re half asleep on me. I don't think I could move you even if you did pass out."

"You're leaving me?" Jeremy muttered groggily. He moved his left arm out from underneath him and checked his watch. The face, dimly lit from the screen and the light in the kitchen read 12:23 and let out a sigh. "I guess I could see why." Sitting up and stretching his arms above his head, he groaned. "Sorry I haven't been very entertaining for the past three hours."

Ryan shook his head and itched the back of his neck. "No. It was good to spend time with you outside of practice. I would have done the same thing back at my place, but alone."

"Mmm." That silence again. Ryan stood, stretching, and popped his back, causing Jeremy to snort. "Old man." He then was smacked in the face with a now dry towel as he keeled over with laughter.

"Don't ever call me an old man or I'll never come back." He joked as he headed towards the door.

"Sure sure. You'll miss me though and sit outside my apartment crying, saying that you're sorry for ever leaving me." Jeremy stood and followed him, leaving the towel on the couch.

"If you say so." He reached over and ruffled his hair, despite the many protests he received. "Thanks for letting me in tonight. And now that I know where you live, you can expect me to be here more often."

"Yeah. Thanks for putting up with me. And just don't come through the window and at least knock. I don't want to think you're trying to murder me and I end up beating you to a pulp."

"Oh please, as if I would ever do that to you."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Ryan, I'm going to need you to stop making me think you're going to do something murderous."

"No promises. I'll see you around, Lil J." With that, he turned towards the door and left, giving Jeremy a small wave over his shoulder before closing the door behind him.

"Bye Ryan." He called after him, before pulling out his phone to message Trevor.

_*Dude, call me ASAP. I've got news.*_

  
\---

  
Dan checked his phone for what seemed to be the twentieth time in the past five minutes. He's been at the bar for more than an hour and Gav hasn't messaged him. He was debating on texting him whether or not if he still needed a ride when the bartender roused him from his thoughts if he wanted another drink. Dan quietly waved the man away, keeping in mind that he still had to drive and wanted to attempt to sober up a bit before he decided to leave.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone vibrated and eagerly looked to see that it was a message from Gavin. His heart twitched when he saw the one-worded message.

 _*Home.*_

It hurt Dan that Gavin wasn't being his typical bubbly, dorky self. He hasn't been since Dan came in from England. And it didn't seem that he wanted to talk any time soon, so he had to wait until the other Brit came to him and opened up. As painful as that process is, especially watching it slowly eat Gav up inside until he caved and asked for help, it was safer to wait than to force him to open up. He didn't want to run the risk of being kicked out of his friend's life again. Once was enough for him to learn.

Dan sighed and rubbed his face before calling for his bill. He figured he should head back, make sure that Gavin was actually okay.

Some of his worries were gone when he got the text, since the last time where he got in a bad funk he would hardly even talk to Dan. It still felt weird that he didn't bother to elaborate on how he got home. He prayed that Gav didn't end up walking home in the rain, grabbed his keys from his pocket and started towards the parking lot.

There was some light visible from the household when Dan pulled into the driveway, giving him some relief. The place was quiet when he walked in except from the soft meows of the two cats as they briefly greeted him. Smee scampered towards Gavin's room, Dan deciding to follow. The Siamese was attempting to open the door, so he quietly opened it for him, in hopes that Gav was asleep and not wanting to wake him with the sound of the cat jiggling the handle. The black cat slipped inside after Smee and Dan spent a moment listening to finally catch the sound of him sleeping amongst the patter of a storm that was finally beginning to ease off. He left the door open slightly and headed towards his room. It was unusual for Gavin to leave the cats out of the room when he went to bed. Shaking his head, he decided to give an attempt on getting him to open up a little bit in the morning.

Maybe he shouldn't have gone to the pub alone tonight.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank's for reading my work! If you have advice/tips/critiques, they are greatly appreciated so I can improve the story.


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